Community Chat

[Karie2022]

Not for a long time, got ripped off several years ago so never use a debit card at a gas station.  They are notorious for this.

[missy1]

$

My card was skimmed at the gas pump a few years ago.

[sidsmom]

@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@San Antonio Gal wrote:

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@SeaMaiden wrote:

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@SilleeMee wrote:

I don't have a debit card and I pay for everything with a cc. My gas station requires customers to pay in advance at the window before any gas is pumped. There is no place on the pumps to put any kind of cards through. They did this to eliminate the illegal skimming devices being placed on the pump card readers.

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we just started using a cc only for all purchases   this past year after our debit card was compromised...... no more use of debit card anymore  unless we need cash from the bank.  

It works out great!  I am getting lots of points and use them for free gift cards to use at the store or wherever.    I just pay off the CC at the end of the month.  Easy!  

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@SeaMaiden- We will now switch to using credit cards like you did.  I prefer not to carry cash around so this makes sense.  I'm not a big credit card user, but paying it off at the end of the month will work fine. 

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@San Antonio Gal    You will feel so much better about the fact that no one can take all your money out of your bank account like they can with the debit card.  With the CC you could be compromised but, it is not YOUR MONEY.  Really gives us peace of mind.   Plus the added benefit of getting all the extra reward points too!  It comes out the same at the end of the month.

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@SeaMaiden

I, too, like the simplicity of credit card for everything. 

[jannabelle1]

I feel very comfortable using my debit card. My bank (large, national bank) knows my purchasing habits, i.e., where I buy and my normal spending habits. If anything is out of the norm, I immediately get both a text and an email asking me to verify that I made the purchase. I worked for banks for over 40 years, and I know that their technology for identifying fraudulent purchases are excellent. If they don't catch one, they will stand by their customers. If you feel more comfortable carrying around cash or only using your credit card, that's fine. But please don't assume that debit cards are not safe to use for those of us who use them daily.

[jeanlake]

I walk inside store and pay that way. Bank made this suggestion when my debit card was compromised by use at pump.   

[NYC Susan]

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@Cakers3 wrote:

We pay cash.  Always.

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I do too.  I always keep extra cash specifically for that purpose.  And I go to the same gas station as much as I can rather than randomly having my car filled up just anywhere.

A few years ago I used a credit card (as had been my habit at that time), and the amount I was charged was a few dollars higher than what the charge had actually been.  I knew that gas stations had a high rate of this kind of trickery, so I decided that day to pay cash only from then on.

[NYC Susan]

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@proudlyfromNJ wrote:

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@cookie16 wrote:

Thankfully in NJ, we don't pump our own gas.  I sit in my car, hand attendant cash and I am on my way.  Not a fan of pumping gas and until our "powers that be" change it, I will be happy inside my car.

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@cookie16.  I know what you mean. I've never pumped gas in my life.

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I did, but it was so long ago I forgot how!  

[NYC Susan]

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@jannabelle1 wrote:

I feel very comfortable using my debit card. My bank (large, national bank) knows my purchasing habits, i.e., where I buy and my normal spending habits. If anything is out of the norm, I immediately get both a text and an email asking me to verify that I made the purchase. I worked for banks for over 40 years, and I know that their technology for identifying fraudulent purchases are excellent. If they don't catch one, they will stand by their customers. If you feel more comfortable carrying around cash or only using your credit card, that's fine. But please don't assume that debit cards are not safe to use for those of us who use them daily.

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And it also depends on the type of debit card.  My debit card is also a credit card and has the same protections.  Not all banks are the same and not all debit cards are the same.  (I have one through another bank also, and I would be much more wary of using that one.)

[libbyannE]

Cash only. My husband started using cash for gas a couple of years ago after news reports about card info being stolen at gas pumps. Sad but true. Modern life....

[SurferWife]

@San Antonio Gal...I’m so sorry to hear that. I don’t use a debit card for ANYTHING. We use one credit card for everything, then have just one bill to pay every month. Fraudulent charges can be reversed immediately on a credit card, too.